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Number of homeless deaths in Scotland increases by almost 20% in one year
The number of people dying while homeless in Scotland increased by 19% in one year, according to new experimental figures published today by the Scottish government.
An estimated 195 people experiencing homelessness died in Scotland in 2018, an increase of 19% on the estimate of 164 in 2017. Of the 195 homeless deaths in 2018, 104 (53%) were drug related.
Scotland had the highest rate of deaths among homeless people of all countries in Great Britain, with a rate of 35.9 per million, compared with 16.9 in England and 14.5 in Wales.
The homelessness death rate in Glasgow was 100.5 per million. This was the highest homeless death rate in Scotland aside from Shetland (111.8), where the island’s small population skews figures.
No homeless deaths were identified in Angus, East Renfrewshire, Moray and the Scottish Borders.
The average age at death for homeless people in Scotland was 43 for women and 44 for men. In 2018, 79% of homeless people who died were men.
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Earlier this week, Glasgow City Council announced its preferred partners to a £187m contract to forge a new alliance to tackle homelessness in the city.
The council’s homelessness service has been under fire for its failures to house those in need. In December, the Scottish Housing Regulator announced that it was launching an investigation into the authority.
Sean Clerkin, campaign co-ordinator at the Scottish Tenants Organisation, said: “This horrendous increase in homeless deaths reflects the failure of the Scottish government to deal with homelessness.
“We are calling on the finance secretary Derek Mackay in his budget tomorrow to dramatically increase the resources for helping the homeless in Scotland.”
Scottish housing minister Kevin Stewart said: “This report shows that of the number of people who died while experiencing homelessness, 53% were drug-related deaths. This reflects the wider public health emergency Scotland is facing over drug deaths.
“The next meeting of the Homelessness Prevention and Strategy Group will have a specific focus on public health and addiction issues and both myself and the public health minister will be attending.
“One person being made homeless is one too many and that is why the Scottish government are working in partnership to transform services to ensure our system supports those at risk.
“While this report is based on experimental statistics, its findings will help the Scottish government to further understand the many issues affecting the most vulnerable in our society and will help us as we double our efforts to eradicate homelessness and its causes, in Scotland.”
